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View Full Version : Trying to be cheeky - how can I get round this!



Newbie1!
30-11-2010, 09:49 AM
Hia, I have two lo's that I care for three afternoons per week, Tues, Weds and Thurs. It is snowing quite bad here but I am still working as am within reasonable walking distance of the schools I pick up from anyway. Mum has txt me this morning and said she is keeping the lo's at home with her today but I can have them all day tomorrow as an alternative?!?!

This means that I basically wont be getting my fee today (I was supposed to be having them all day tomorrow as overtime anyway) So no matter how you look at it I will be losing out on my additional time tomorrow.

How can I word it so mum knows that she will still have to pay for today and the additional hours tomorrow as that is her choice???

(PS - shes an awkward one!!) :panic: :panic: :panic:

Pipsqueak
30-11-2010, 09:56 AM
I would call/text her and say
yes I can have the children tomorrow as per your booking but i just wanted to confirm to you that I am open today and I will still be charging for the hours you have booked - ie today and tomorrow.
and then bill her - if she argues about it - argue back!

Mouse
30-11-2010, 10:06 AM
I would phone and explain to her that you don't offer flexi care & the days can't be swapped round. You are open today, so will need to be paid for it as per the contract (assuming that's what's in your contract) and that you are available to have the children all day tomorrow, but you will be charging separately for that as it's outside your contracted hours.

Some parents think it's OK to swap days around. They're not necessarily being funny about it, it just seems logical to them.

Phone now, make it clear from the beginning how it works & hopefully it won't be a problem again.

Newbie1!
30-11-2010, 10:24 AM
Ok, so I text her back and said that if she didnt want to bring them today then that was her choice but that as I was still officially open then there would still be a charge. She replied saying that that was the reason she had said I could have them tomorrow morning instead (am I supposed to be grateful...!?!) I didnt reply as I had said everything in the first message. She then sends another message saying, if Ive got to pay then I will bring them today. Fine, no probs except I dont normally have the eldest until 4pm so Im guessing that school is shut so she'll be bringing her at 1 too, she did this last week and hasnt paid the extra for that. I seem to repeat myself continually and she knows all about having to pay for care if she cancels. At this rate I am seriously going to have to let them go and me get a job to make the money up. I already do them a half price rate as they are siblings and were my first!!! I dont know what more I can do, its people like this that make me doubt Ive made the right decision in doing this type of work :( :( :crying:

Pipsqueak
30-11-2010, 11:01 AM
Ok rather than getting cross - while you have time sit down and type out a letter to her stating and referencing bits in the contract and policies.

ie - Charges for time off, charges for additional hours etc, no flexi-swopping of days

i would also point out that you are being rather generous with the sibling discount (two can play the game of look at me of how NICE I am being to you)
add in there you are more than willing to sit down with her to clarify points if she doesn't understand them

and give it to her when she arrives.

WHY has she not paid for last weeks extra hours - did you bill her? If you didn't then you can't really ask for it now, however its something else you can point out in your generosity in the letter.

However, this week - charge - give her an itemised bill and put on it the date you expect it to be paid by......

get firm, stand your ground, lay the conditions out again - oh so nicely, deep breath and continue.

Newbie1!
30-11-2010, 11:20 AM
Ok rather than getting cross - while you have time sit down and type out a letter to her stating and referencing bits in the contract and policies.

ie - Charges for time off, charges for additional hours etc, no flexi-swopping of days

i would also point out that you are being rather generous with the sibling discount (two can play the game of look at me of how NICE I am being to you)
add in there you are more than willing to sit down with her to clarify points if she doesn't understand them

and give it to her when she arrives.

WHY has she not paid for last weeks extra hours - did you bill her? If you didn't then you can't really ask for it now, however its something else you can point out in your generosity in the letter.

However, this week - charge - give her an itemised bill and put on it the date you expect it to be paid by......

get firm, stand your ground, lay the conditions out again - oh so nicely, deep breath and continue.

Thanks Pip,

I think thats a good idea - Im sure she is well aware of the policies etc and on the basis she is claiming almost three times the amount she pays me (I am lead to believe) then it is so frustrating that she actually raises this as an issue. I dont normally give invoices as no-one ever goes over their scheduled hours so I have never had to, they pay the standard fee and thats it. The reason I havent charged for last week is because she is what I call a "hit and run mum". She doesnt come in, parks at the end of the drive and sends the kids down, I have to send them out to her when she picks them up. She comes to the door once a week when she pays me and I was planning on reminding her then that I had had her for extra and so it would be more this week. Today is usually payday and so chances are when she drops her/them off if I mention it today after all this then she will blow a stack.

Would you recommend doing a weekly invoice for all my parents, even if they have paid? Think this may help as I can give it to them at the end of the week and she cant say she'd forgotten/didnt realise etc. This is not what I signed up for, I wanted to be self-employed so I didnt have a boss but she is much worse than my old boss and far more intimidating :( :( :(

caz3007
30-11-2010, 11:57 AM
I would start doing an invoice for her, if she is messing around. Some of my parents get invoices and some dont, its what we have agreed between us and they are monthly paid, and it varies depending on how many weeks, days of care are in the month and one I sometimes to extras for. My weekly ones, dont get an invoice and if they go over their hours which very occasionally they do, they never quibble.

Pipsqueak
30-11-2010, 12:40 PM
ALL my parents get an itemised invoice - once bitten twice shy.

As for being a 'hit and run' mum - text her and tell her you need her to come in as you need to discuss something with her - ie all this and also while you are at it - I would say for insurance purposes she HAS to come to the door to drop off and collect - to share information etc. Draw some ground rules and stick to them.

Newbie1!
30-11-2010, 12:57 PM
ALL my parents get an itemised invoice - once bitten twice shy.

As for being a 'hit and run' mum - text her and tell her you need her to come in as you need to discuss something with her - ie all this and also while you are at it - I would say for insurance purposes she HAS to come to the door to drop off and collect - to share information etc. Draw some ground rules and stick to them.

Thanks Pip, your an angel - do you fancy coming round and giving me some confidence training!?! Ive drafted a Snow policy and am going to put with it a letter to all parents basically confirming it all and also confirming I am working over xmas/thanking them for their custom/inviting them to xmas party etc. I am hoping that this will be all the clarification they all need!! I know Ive let her get away with far too much for far too long! I am going to try and put together some sort of invoice template this afternoon. Thank u again, your a real star xxx:thank you:

georgie456
30-11-2010, 01:04 PM
I always put on my contracts that if there are any changes in hours or days (incl overtime) with less than 2 weeks prior notice, then the original charge remains in force. This has always worked really well and amazingly, my parents stick to it!

Chatterbox Childcare
30-11-2010, 01:29 PM
Sounds like she is trying it on. As she has already booked you I would talk to her on the phone and explain that you will require paying for today as it is a contracted day and that if she still requires you tomorrow that it will be invoiced too.

Newbie1!
30-11-2010, 01:51 PM
Well, update ladies, she turned up, with one lo, gave me this weeks and next weeks money and said "dont forget you need to let me know how much extra it will be tomorrow"?!?!? (for the overtime) I said that I hope she didnt think i was being funny or awkward by saying that even if they are not here then I need paying....it seems from her response that she is happy to give it by text message but when it comes face to face she just goes along with whatever and backs away from the confrontation! I worked out before she came how much of a discount she actually gets - I could smack myself in the face!!! She pays £50 and it should be £86 - stupid stupid stupid Jo!!!

Anyway, I wonder if any of you lovelies have an invoice template youd be kind enough to share with me?xxx:blush:

grindal
30-11-2010, 01:57 PM
I was messed around recently by a parent who wanted me to switch days. Its a long story....anyway, as a result now whenever any parent asks me to do an additional day or hours I always put it in writing, calculate the cost and ask them to sign it. It then gets added to the next months invoice, but at least I know I have the paper copy in the event of any arguments.

PS Happy to send a copy of my invoice if you pm your e mail addy

Newbie1!
30-11-2010, 02:02 PM
I was messed around recently by a parent who wanted me to switch days. Its a long story....anyway, as a result now whenever any parent asks me to do an additional day or hours I always put it in writing, calculate the cost and ask them to sign it. It then gets added to the next months invoice, but at least I know I have the paper copy in the event of any arguments.

PS Happy to send a copy of my invoice if you pm your e mail addy

Thanks chick. I'll do that now - Im definitely learning a valuable lesson about putting everything in writing and making it VERY clear from the start where everyone stands!!xxx

SamWilliams1980
30-11-2010, 06:46 PM
I find most people are like that, talk a good game but when it comes to face to face contact back off.

I am happy to be flexible because I can at the mo', but completely agree with what everyone has said, cover your back with it all in writing.

Also would it be possible to say its time for a review and get her to come in for a chat about everything, ir her coming to the door to pick up, policies and re iterate the whole contract, and you can then make changes to it if you want to, and then get it resigned and dated.

The Juggler
30-11-2010, 06:52 PM
hon, lots of good advice here already. sock it to her:thumbsup: